There was a lot of tips and real world examples, that you can simply
not get out of a book.

The
RFID Center of Excellence at Penn State Behrend was established
in early 2005 as a collaborative initiative with the Center for
E-Business and Advanced IT (eBizITPA). The mission of the
center is to conduct RFID research and outreach resulting in
strategic advantage and economic growth for industry.

Biocompatible ink tattoo with chipless RFID.

Somark Innovations
is a technology company that is developing a proprietary ID system
based on a biocompatible ink tattoo with chipless RFID
functionality. When applied, the ink creates a unique ID that can
be detected without line of sight. The technology will be initially
leveraged to the livestock industry to help identify/track cattle
and thus mitigate export trade loss from BSE (a.k.a. Mad Cow
Disease) scares. Secondary target markets include laboratory
animals, companion pets, and potentially prime cuts of meat.

Gaithersburg, MD -- Retailers, manufacturers, hospitals, federal
agencies and other organizations planning to use radio frequency
identification (RFID) technology to improve their operations should
also systematically evaluate the possible security and privacy risks
and use best practices to mitigate them, according to a new report
from the Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST).

"RFID tags, commonly referred to as smart tags, have the ability
to improve logistics, profoundly change cost structures for
business, and improve the current levels of safety and authenticity
of the international pharmaceutical supply chain and many other
industries," said Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology Robert
C. Cresanti. "This important report lays the foundation for
addressing potential RFID security risks so that a thoughtful
enterprise can launch a smart tag program with confidence."

RFID devices send and/or receive radio signals to transmit
identifying information such as product model or serial
numbers. They come in a wide variety of types and sizes, from the
size of a grain of rice or printed on paper to much larger devices
with built in batteries. Unlike bar coding systems, RFID devices can
communicate without requiring a line of sight and over longer
distances for faster batch processing of inventory and can be
outfitted with sensors to collect data on temperature changes,
sudden shocks, humidity or other factors affecting products.

As RFID devices are deployed in more sophisticated applications
from matching hospital patients with laboratory test results to
tracking systems for dangerous materials, concerns have been raised
about protecting such systems against eavesdropping and unauthorized
uses.

"The goal of our report," according to lead author Tom
Karygiannis of NIST, "is to give organizations practical ways in a
structured format with checklists and specific recommendations to
address potential RFID security risks."

NIST prepared the new report as part of its responsibilities
under the Federal Information and Security Management Act of 2002 to
help federal agencies provide adequate security for their
information technology systems. However, its recommendations for
selecting appropriate security controls for RFID systems are likely
to be useful to other types of organizations as well.

Two case studies -- in health care and supply chain settings --
provide examples for identifying and minimizing security risks
throughout the various stages of an RFID project.

"The ZL70101 is a high performance half duplex RF communications link
for medical implantable applications.

The system is very flexible and supports several low power wakeup
options. Extremely low power is achievable using the 2.45 GHz ISM
Band Wakeup-receiver option. The high level of integration includes
a Media Access Controller, providing complete control of the device
along with coding and decoding of RF messages. A standard SPI
interface provides for easy access by the application."

"UHF transponder systems such as our Ecochip technology, offer long
reading ranges and form an ideal input system to a computer
network. Trolley Scan have recently supplied a third consignment of
readers and tags to our clients for use in mining operations
underground, particularly in the control of heavy machinery in
situations where the machinery must not be operated when people are
close by. Other uses are to computer control the progress of moving
machines in close environments and make sure the movement happens
safely. As the transponders are passive - offering 100 year type
lifecycle - low maintenance systems can be installed. With their
very narrow spectrum bandwidth, their low power and their low
interference technology for the readers, many readers can operate in
close proximity without causing interference. At present this is an
adaptation of equipment used above the surface and is not suitable
for use in coal mines and those that need intrinsically safety due
to our use of materials such as aluminum in the antennas of the
reader." [Aluminum is not allowed in Mines in certain countries due
to its Magnesium content.]